Ecuador defender Piero Hincapié is sent off at the World Cup for covering his mouth during a confrontation with a Mexico player, becoming the second player punished under FIFA’s new rule. Multiple reports say the incident happens in stoppage time of Ecuador’s 2-0 defeat to Mexico at the Azteca, with Hincapié receiving a red card in the 95th minute.
Accounts describe the dismissal as following a heated exchange between Hincapié and Mexico forward Santi Giménez. Several sources state that the rule applies when a player covers their mouth during a confrontational moment with an opponent. The Independent and Yahoo Sports report that Hincapié loses composure at the end of the match, after Ecuador suffers a “chastening” loss.
The same sources add that Hincapié is the second player to be shown a red card for this specific offence at the tournament. Yahoo Sports and other outlets note that Paraguay’s Miguel Almirón was the first player booked under the mouth-covering rule in a group-stage match against Turkey last week.
